The ionisation coefficient in Kr-Hg mixtures

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Abstract
The ionisation coefficient in Kr-Hg mixtures has been measured for E/n values between 2*10-20 V m2 and 2*10-18 V m2 and for a mercury atom fraction varying from 8*10-4 to 8*10-2. The experiments were performed with a parallel-plate apparatus in which the current is measured as a function of the plate separation at constant electric field. The ionisation coefficient was found to be a function of E/n and the mercury atom fraction only. The increase in the ionisation coefficient for small admixtures of mercury is mainly due to associative ionisation. From the experimental results the effective rate coefficient for excitation of the appropriate krypton states is obtained as a function of E/n, as well as the ratio of the rate coefficients for depopulation of these excited krypton states by nonionising collisions with krypton and ionising collisions with mercury atoms respectively.